Marine propulsion device with removable clutch assembly

Abstract

A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing, a shaft rotatably supported within the clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within the clutch housing for rotation relative to the shaft, and a clutch mechanism located between the bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of the bevel gears and the shaft, and a mechanism for affording insertion of the clutch assembly as a unit into the gear housing and for affording removal of the clutch assembly as a unit from the gear housing.

We claim: 
     
       1. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including an integral clutch housing adapted to be supported relative to the boat by said gear housing, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, and means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       2. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clutch housing has therein an opening, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a third bevel gear meshing with both of said bevel gears of said clutch assembly and extending through said opening in said clutch housing. 
     
     
       3. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising a bearing housing rotatably supporting said third bevel gear, and wherein said bearing housing and said third bevel gear are removable as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       4. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said clutch housing has therein a second opening, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises means extending through said second opening for actuating said clutch means. 
     
     
       5. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clutch housing has an open lower end, wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a drive shaft rotatably supported by said gear housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to the propeller, and wherein said clutch assembly shaft extends outwardly of said lower end of said clutch housing and is drivingly connected to said drive shaft. 
     
     
       6. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clutch housing has therein an opening, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises means extending through said opening for actuating said clutch means. 
     
     
       7. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising means for preventing rotation of said clutch housing relative to said gear housing. 
     
     
       8. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clutch housing has therein an opening and has an exterior surface including a flat portion, wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a bearing housing which is supported by said gear housing and which has an exterior surface including a flat portion engaging said flat portion of said exterior surface of said clutch housing, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a third bevel gear which is rotatably supported by said bearing housing, which meshes with both of said bevel gears of said clutch assembly and which extends through said opening in said clutch housing, and wherein said means for preventing rotation of said clutch housing includes said flat portions. 
     
     
       9. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing, said clutch housing having an open upper end, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing, a cover including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings extending between said upper and lower surfaces, means for removably securing said cover over said upper end of said clutch housing with said lower surface facing said clutch housing, means including said upper surface of said cover for defining a lubricant chamber above said upper surface, and means for supplying lubricant to said lubricant chamber. 
     
     
       10. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing, said clutch housing having therein a first opening and a second opening, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing, a third bevel gear meshing with both of said bevel gears of said clutch assembly and extending through said first opening in said clutch housing, and a fourth bevel gear meshing with both of said bevel gears of said clutch assembly and extending through said second opening. 
     
     
       11. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising a bearing housing rotatably supported said fourth bevel gear, and wherein said bearing housing and said fourth bevel gear are removable as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       12. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising a water pump driven by said fourth bevel gear. 
     
     
       13. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said clutch housing has therein a third opening, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises means extending through said third opening for actuating said clutch means. 
     
     
       14. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said clutch housing has an open lower end, wherein said marine propulsion device further comprising a drive shaft rotatably supported by said gear housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to the propeller, and wherein said clutch assembly shaft extends outwardly of said lower end of said clutch housing and is drivingly connected to said drive shaft. 
     
     
       15. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said clutch housing has an open upper end, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a cover including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings extending between said upper and lower surfaces, means for securing said cover over said upper end of said clutch housing with said lower surface facing said clutch housing, means including said upper surface of said cover for defining a lubricant chamber above said upper surface, and means for supplying lubricant to said lubricant chamber. 
     
     
       16. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly which is removably supported within said gear housing and which includes a clutch housing having therein first and second openings, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed first and second bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, a third bevel gear meshing with both of said first and second bevel gears, extending through said first opening in said clutch housing, and being adapted to be driven by an engine, a first bearing housing rotatably supporting said third bevel gear, said first bearing housing and said third bevel gear being removable as a unit from said gear housing, a fourth bevel gear meshing with both of said first and second bevel gears and extending through said second opening, and a second bearing housing rotatably supporting said fourth bevel gear, said second bearing housing and said fourth bevel gear being removable as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       17. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said clutch housing has therein a third opening, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises means extending through said third opening for actuating said clutch means. 
     
     
       18. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said clutch housing has an open lower end, wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a drive shaft rotatably supported by said gear housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to the propeller, and wherein said clutch assembly shaft extends outwardly of said lower end of said clutch housing and is drivingly connected to said drive shaft. 
     
     
       19. A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said clutch housing has an open upper end, and wherein said marine propulsion device further comprises a cover including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings extending between said upper and lower surfaces, means for securing said cover over said upper end of said clutch housing with said lower surface facing said clutch housing, means including said upper surface of said cover for defining a lubricant chamber above said upper surface, and means for supplying lubricant to said lubricant chamber. 
     
     
       20. A clutch assembly adapted to be inserted into a gearcase of a marine propulsion device, said clutch assembly comprising a clutch housing having therein first and second openings, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, said bevel gears being adapted to mesh with a third bevel gear extending through said first opening, and said bevel gears being adapted to mesh with a fourth bevel gear extending through said second opening, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft. 
     
     
       21. A clutch assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said clutch housing is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
       22. A clutch assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said clutch housing has therein a first opening, and wherein said bevel gears are adapted to mesh with a third bevel gear extending through said first opening. 
     
     
       23. A clutch assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said clutch housing has therein a third opening adapted to have extend therethrough means for actuating said clutch means. 
     
     
       24. A clutch assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said clutch housing has an open lower end, and wherein said clutch assembly shaft extends outwardly of said lower end. 
     
     
       25. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing having therein an opening and having an exterior surface including a flat portion, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, a bearing housing which is supported by said gear housing and which has an exterior surface including a flat portion engaging said flat portion of said exterior surface of said clutch housing, a third bevel gear which is rotatably supported by said bearing housing, which meshes with both of said bevel gears of said clutch assembly and which extends through said opening in said clutch housing, and means for preventing rotation of said clutch housing relative to said gear housing, said means for preventing rotation of said clutch housing including said flat portions. 
     
     
       26. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing, said clutch housing having therein a recess, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, a cover having thereon a projection extending into said recess, means for removably securing said cover to said gear housing, and means for preventing rotation of said clutch housing relative to said gear housing, said means for preventing rotation including said recess and said projection. 
     
     
       27. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including an integral clutch housing substantially enclosed by said gear housing, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, and means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       28. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch housing adapted to be supported relative to the boat by said gear housing, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within and substantially enclosed by said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, and means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing. 
     
     
       29. A marine propulsion device comprising a gear housing adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, a clutch assembly including a clutch assembly substantially enclosed by said gear housing, a shaft rotatably supported within said clutch housing and adapted to be drivingly connected to a propeller, opposed bevel gears coaxially supported within and substantially enclosed by said clutch housing for rotation relative to said shaft, and clutch means located between said bevel gears for causing selective and alternative driving engagement of said bevel gears and said shaft, and means for affording insertion of said clutch assembly as a unit into said gear housing and for affording removal of said clutch assembly as a unit from said gear housing.